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The cutoff BP values for hypertension should not be lowered in China

Hypertension Research volume 45, pages 1526–1527 (2022)Cite this article

The definition of hypertension is a very complex problem but also a problem we must face.

During the past several decades, hypertension has been defined as office systolic blood pressure values ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure values ≥90 mmHg in most clinical practice guidelines. In the 2017 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) High Blood Pressure Clinical Practice Guideline, the diagnostic cutoff value of hypertension was lowered to ≥130/80 mmHg, and blood pressure (BP) control targets were also lowered accordingly [1], with SPRINT as the main foundation [2]. After publication of the guideline, it immediately aroused strong controversy worldwide. There are both voices of support and opposition, and the voice of opposition in China has the upper hand. In fact, even American scholars have different views on this issue. For example, Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022 still insists on the definition of hypertension as ≥140/90 mm Hg, although this guideline has been endorsed by ACC [3].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Department, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, P. R. China

    Ruo-Yi Guo

  2. Vice Chairman of Chinese Medical Doctor Association (CMDA) Hypertension Committee, Beijing, P. R. China

    Yi-Fang Guo

  3. Chief of Division of Geriatric Cardiology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, P. R. China

    Yi-Fang Guo

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  1. Ruo-Yi Guo
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Correspondence to Yi-Fang Guo.

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Guo, RY., Guo, YF. The cutoff BP values for hypertension should not be lowered in China. Hypertens Res 45, 1526–1527 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-022-00969-2

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